Jason Harris
Emerging star Denise G. Sanchez (“Mayans M.C.”) is making waves within the entertainment world and bringing more LatinX representation to our screens. Now starring in Amazon’s “Bosch” spin-off titled “Bosch: Legacy” (Amazon Freevee series), fans got to meet her character ‘Reina Vasquez,’ a police officer that takes rookie cop Maddie Bosch (Madison Lintz) under her wing as Harry Bosch (Titus Welliver) embarks on the next chapter of his career and finds himself working with his one-time enemy, Honey Chandler (Mimi Rogers).
Harry Bosch, retired homicide detective, turned Private Investigator, fights to work cases without the authority his former job provided in “Bosch: Legacy.” Attorney Honey “Money” Chandler, having survived an attempted murder, struggles to maintain her faith in the justice system. And Maddie Bosch discovers the possibilities and challenges of being a rookie patrol cop on the streets of Los Angeles.
The daughter of Peruvian immigrants and first-generation American, Denise was born in Connecticut. From an early age, Denise has a strong pull to be on camera. She grew up entertaining her family with puppet shows and living room skits. She was her family’s main source of entertainment before they learned to speak English, which she taught them herself. Throughout childhood, Denise was involved in various school and community theatre productions and choir. Upon graduating from college, with a degree in broadcast journalism, she worked at a local news station in Connecticut before changing course and moving to NYC to pursue dance and modeling. After little luck in NYC, she made the move to LA to pursue her true passion of entertaining others.
Struggling for a good while to book anything, her first role came in Facebook Watch’s Sorry for Your Loss as a receptionist. Later she scored her first major recurring role-playing in NBC’s hit series The Good Place. Denise has also starred in CBS’s Criminal Minds, FX’s Mayans M.C., and ABC’s General Hospital. She currently is starring in the up-and-coming Freevee series Bosch: Legacy, where she plays Reina Vasquez, a Mexican American first-generation cop with a hard exterior who takes what she does very seriously.
When Denise is not acting, she loves leading support to rescue animals, and animal welfare organizations as she has 4 recuses of her own. She can be found leading support to various shelters around the LA area. Also, a devoted vegan for over half a decade, Denise’s love for animals is full circle for her.
StarCentral Magazine recently caught up with Denise to discuss her latest project, and here’s what went down:
Can you tell us more about yourself? How did you get started in the entertainment industry?
I was involved in theater, dance, and choir growing up. I always knew I wanted to be an actor, but it wasn’t until I finished college that I fully dove in and moved to NYC. After a few years of training, I moved out to Hollywood.
What do you like most about acting?
It’s very cool to take on a role that you think is very different from you. In the process of breaking down your character and creating a life…you begin to realize you share some similarities. That’s what I love most about acting; you see and experience different perspectives and begin to develop a newfound respect for other ways of living.
Can you tell us about your role in Bosch: Legacy?
I play Reina Vasquez, who is Maddie Bosch’s training officer. She teaches Maddie the ropes, and even though she’s tough on her at times, she is fair.
What sort of person is going to relate to this character?
I believe the first-generation Latinx community will relate, as well as female police officers. I hope that many more outside of that scope can see themselves in Reina.
How is this character like you? Different?
Reina is similar to me in the sense that she can be very tough on people that she sees potential. She likes to push for the best results, and I am right there with her. We are different in our career choices. Neither of which are easy, but you certainly wouldn’t catch me running into the face of danger.
Besides yourself, what celebrity would you like to see tackle this character?
Cristella Alonzo.
Besides yourself, which actor/s in Bosch: Legacy is going to blow people away?
Stephan Chang, who plays “Mo” is stellar!
What’s the biggest challenge to taking on this role?
Getting into the mindset of a cop on patrol.
If you could play any other character in this series, who would it be?
I respect the hell out of “Honey Chandler,” played by Mimi Rogers. I could never do what she does, but I would love to play a character similar to her one day.
What has been the most memorable experience of your career so far?
The FYC L.A premier of Bosch Legacy. I couldn’t believe I was rubbing elbows with such legends.
Who have been the most interesting people you’ve met so far?
The production crew on Bosch Legacy. I loved talking to them in between shots and getting to know them. They are the most hard-working, interesting, and funniest people I have ever met. They made this experience magical.
Jason Harris
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